Interview With Alex Fletcher

Alex Fletcher is perhaps best known for playing Jacqui Farnham (née Dixon) in Channel 4's Brookside. A Liverpool girl, it's no surprise we now see her in Chester's very own soap opera, Hollyoaks, where she plays Diane O'Connor, soap-mum to Stephanie Davis.

We caught up with busy mum Alex to talk about everything from Celebrity Masterchef, the future of her character in Hollyoaks and her best friend, Zuko.

Tell us about your dog - we'd like to know everything about him!

Zuko is a Bichon Frise boy who's just turned 3 years old. We decided to get a dog after a weekend away, we went to see Grease and we stayed with a family and they had dogs. My little girl, Yasmin, is 7 years old and she didn't move from their sides. She absolutely loved being in their company so when we got home my husband Neil said 'let's get a dog'.

Zuko is little but frisky. He's so obedient, so clever but he combines that with being a looney bin. He has this breed trait called a 'Bichon Blitz' where he has spells having masses of energy and just goes mad running around but he's a brilliant dog.

He's such a good little companion, he comes out running with me – we went for a big long run this morning. Yasmin doesn't have any brothers or sisters and she'll just sit and play with him, she loves him to bits.

I'm not really a cat person, I think it's the welcome you get from a dog that's brilliant. When you've been out all day and they're made up to see you.

I don't think we could have picked a better boy for us.

When did your interest in pets/animals begin and how long have you been a pet owner?

I've always loved dogs and had some growing up with a couple which passed away sadly. My mum has a dog and he gets on really well with Zuko.

You've been playing Diane O'Connor on our screens since Summer 2010 in Hollyoaks, what do you love most about the character you play compared to other characters you've been most known for, such as Jacqui Farnham (née Dixon) in Brookside?

Diane is a totally different character to play from Jacqui so it's a lot of fun. Diane and Jacqui both have scouse accents, I think I do that one best (laughs) but that's probably where the similarities start and end.

Jacqui was really bossy and a young entrepreneur. Diane is a mum and I can connect with her now that I'm a mum myself so I can play her differently. She's a really caring person but a bit nosey with it! She keeps a beady eye on her daughter, Sinead (played by Stephanie Davis).

The thing that I love most is that the production company for Brookie was Lime Pictures and they're the production company for Hollyoaks aswell so it really feels like I've come home because some of the same people are still here so it doesn't feel like much has changed although the cast is a lot younger than Brookie – a bit depressing really (laughs) now I feel like one of the older members.

It's really brilliant to have a regular job again – and to go to the Soap Awards again!

Finish the following sentence, my dog is... my little pal!

And finally, this is always a tough question and often requires a fair degree of thinking time but….If Zuko had the ability to speak and answer one question and one question only, what would you ask them and what do you think that they would say?

I'd ask him 'do you miss your family'? I often wonder if he misses his siblings and I think he'd say 'yeah', he was really good friends with his brother.

And last but not least, The Malmaison Liverpool (Summer rates online from £69 or see their fabulous offer of the Summer Beatles Package which is £199bb for two nights based on two people and includes tickets for the Beatles Story. Don’t miss out! Find out more by clicking here)

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